Carolina
Lawyer · Lisbon, Portugal
- 366 cases handled · 2 in this service
- 4+ years in practice
- Speaks: Spanish, English, Portuguese
- Law, University of Coimbra
-
4.91(11 reviews)
Legal help for prisoners in Portugal is for a foreign prisoner (recluso) in a Portuguese prison (estabelecimento prisional) and for the family at home who searches for “relative in prison in Portugal” or “prisoner abroad” and does not know where to start. It covers both pre-trial detention (prisão preventiva) and the time after sentence, when the sentence-enforcement court (Tribunal de Execução das Penas, TEP) and the prison service (DGRSP) take decisions about release, leave and transfer. This page is information, not legal advice. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “Represent Incarcerated Person”.
A person held on remand whose case lawyer has gone quiet, a sentenced prisoner who wants to apply for parole or transfer home, a prisoner who needs a power of attorney for matters outside, and parents, partners or friends abroad who want to visit, send money or simply understand the situation.
Ask the consulate to confirm where the person is held and that they have a lawyer; request visits and video calls through the prison; send money for the prison account; give a lawyer a power of attorney to deal with bank, housing and family matters the prisoner cannot handle. Letters and parcels follow the prison's rules.
The lawyer visits the prisoner, reviews the file and the measures, applies for release or a lighter measure, prepares the parole and transfer applications, represents the prisoner before the TEP, handles complaints about conditions through the proper channels and reports to the family in plain English. A surrender to another country is a different procedure, described under extradition proceedings; the later effect of the conviction is explained under criminal record certificate. More on criminal law in Portugal.
The consulate of the prisoner's country is usually informed of the arrest and can confirm the prison; a lawyer in Portugal can also locate the case through the courts.
Yes, under conditions assessed by the TEP, such as the part of the sentence served and the prisoner's conduct and plans. A lawyer prepares the application and attends the hearing.
Transfers involve two governments and several steps, and they take time; a lawyer can make sure the application is complete and follow it with the authorities on both sides.
Yes. A power of attorney and other documents can be signed in the prison with the formalities the law requires, so that a lawyer or a relative can act outside.
Sorted by experience in this service. Write to any of them — the reply comes from the lawyer, without obligation.
Lawyer · Lisbon, Portugal
Lawyer · Porto, Portugal
2 registered lawyers provide this service in Portugal. Describe your situation in a short chat — what happened, where, and how to reach you. Your enquiry is reviewed and passed to a lawyer who handles exactly this kind of case, with no obligation.
We are not just a place to list a profile: we work with every lawyer individually. Each one is registered with a bar association, and their experience, languages and client reviews are shown openly on their card.
Enquiries are answered by lawyers of AdvocateAbroad. This site provides legal information, not legal advice.
The professionalism far exceeded what I have been used to with similar practices in other European countries. The lawyer was very caring and sensitive in assisting with a very emotional family bereavement in the Algarve.
Her service was first class, the best I could have hoped for. She was helpful at every turn and happily explained whatever I had not understood, and I was completely satisfied with the outcome. The survey cannot capture the extent of what she did for my family. Her grasp of her field, and explaining everything in both Portuguese and English, is amazing. I am deeply grateful.
He is an excellent lawyer and a true professional. I used his services on two occasions: first a consultation in the summer of 2025 about the best way for a US citizen like me to get a Portuguese visa, and then, most recently, to get a marriage license in Portugal. Since my wife and I left it quite late, we took him on in a rush, close to the deadline, and he finished everything extremely quickly and helped us collect and translate the required documents. His English is flawless, so we never had trouble understanding him, and communication was great throughout. The whole process was incredibly smooth. He even gave us additional service beyond what we had hired him for, and he made the entire thing stress-free. If you need any legal assistance, I highly recommend him; he is our lawyer of choice in Portugal.
The lawyer was very supportive and helpful. I feel lucky to have chosen her to assist with what turned out to be a very complicated sale, and her English was perfect. I am very grateful for all her work, help and advice and would highly recommend her to anyone.
Real expertise in her field, good understanding and great communication, finding what works best for her clients. Honest, well spoken, and perfect English.
The lawyer pulled me out of trouble quickly. What I badly needed was exactly what I got: prompt answers, understanding, good value for money, and the ability to explain matters and propose fitting solutions. His English is flawless as well. For approachability and professionalism he cannot be beaten. For comparison, I have been through three other accountants since settling in Portugal, and none of them achieved much. Two of them gave me wrong advice that ended in fines, and their communication was dreadful. Thanks.
The lawyer was quick to respond and an effective communicator, and his English was perfect. He sent good email replies to clarify after the call. I am happy with the value and appreciated his straightforwardness. Hopefully the solution works, but it seems the best and easiest option I have been given so far.
We hired the lawyer for two matters: our Portuguese residency, and transferring ownership of the property we had bought. We are delighted to rate him 5 stars on both, as he proved helpful, professional and highly competent and finished the two tasks with no problems. We will certainly use him again.
The lawyer and her team responded to our inquiry straight away and stayed just as responsive for the entire service. Her team clearly grasped our needs and objectives, and thanks to their network of established local contacts they achieved our goals on time, with professionalism and competence. She always offered to be available, herself or through her team, for any questions or concerns we had, and she has kept in touch to support us throughout the visa process, in English that was flawless. She clearly exceeded our expectations. We are completely satisfied, and we will no doubt have further legal matters in the future and have no hesitation in asking her to help us with all sorts of Portuguese legal questions. All in all, a fantastic job, and a huge thanks to the team and the service.
The lawyer was very helpful with my questions about receiving an inheritance and drafting powers of attorney for my brother. She invested a lot of additional time in understanding what the banks need from the POA that has to be shown to the different banks. Her English was perfect, and I would definitely use her again for other Portuguese legal matters.
He is excellent at what he does, and I really appreciated the opportunity to use remote services. He answered all my questions and helped solve my problem, and his English was perfect.
The lawyer understood my case quickly and solved it professionally, and I also got tips and suggestions about my finances. He is a very kind person, and I was so satisfied with the result that I will keep consulting him in the future.